Girdle



H. M. HERBENER GIRDLE Dec. 7, 1954 Original Filed Jan. 5, 1948 INVENTOR Y H ENRY M. H eRBaNf-.R

ATTORNEY United States Patent O GIRDLE Henry' M. Herhener, Thomasville, Ga.

Original applicationtlanuary 1948, Serial No. 506, now Patent No. 2,630,570, dated March 20, 1953. Divided and this application December lf2, 1952, `Serial No. 325,590

11 Claims. (Cle 2--36) My invention relates toA g'irdles and has particular reference to means for retaining a-iiexible portion of the girdle in the proper or raised position.

An. important. object of the invention is to provide a resilient supporting device which is horizontally elongated and will support a substantial length of the upper portion of theA girdle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a d'evice of the above-mentioned, character which will promote the comfort `of the wearer.

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

This application is a division of my co-pend-ing application for Girdles, iiledA January 5, 1948, Serial Number 506, now Patent No. 2,630,570.

InV the accompanying drawings forming al part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate likel parts throughout same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a girdle'-y embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the front panel, parts broken away,

Figure 3 isa horizontal section taken onl line 3--3 ot Figure 2, and,

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral` designates vthe body portion of an elastic girdle, which ma-y be woven or knit. This body portion is preferably a two way stretch fabric and is elastic vertically and horizontally. They 'body portion 10 includes sidesv and a back which are preferably integral. Secured to the top of. the body portion 10 is an elastic band 11, having a one-way horizontal stretch, and this band is equipped with stiifening ribs 12. The girdle includes a front panel 13, which may be one-way vertically elastic, or two-way vertically and horizontally elastic, or non-elastic. This panel is attached to the body portion 10 at its vertical edges by zigzag lines of stitching 14, and is attached at its top to the upper band 11 by the same zigzag lines of stitching 14.

At its top, the panel 13 is equipped with a pocket l 15, which may be formed by extending the top of the panel 13 beyond the band 11, and folding the same downwardly and outwardly upon itself, providing outer and inner layers 16 and 17. The edges of the bodv portion 10 are passed between the layers 16 and 17, Figure 3, and left vertical edges of the layers 16 and 17 are permanently secured to the body portion 10 by the line of.

stitching 14. The inner layer 17, at its right vertical edge, is secured to the body portion 10 by the right vertical line of stitching 14, which does not pass through the right vertical edge of the outer layer 16. The right vertical edge of the outer layer 16 is detachably secured to the body portion 10, Figure 2, by snap fasteners 18. The lower horizontal edge of the outer layer 16 is secured to the panel 13 by a horizontal line of zigzag stitching 19. It is thus seen that the pocket 15 is closed at its top and bottom and at one end, and that the onposite end of the pocket may be opened. since the right end of the outer layer 16 is detachably secured to the body portion 10 by the snap fasteners 18.

Arranged within the pocket 15 are a plurality of hoops 20, disposed in an elongated horizontal group, in generally end-to-end relation. The ends of these hoops 2,696,000 Patented Dec. 7, 1954 slightly overlap and contact. The upper portions of the hoops are generally inverted U-shaped, and these hoops support the fronty panel throughout thermajor portion' of'V its` horizontal dimension.. The hoops` 20 are resilient. and are preferably circular before being placed under compression, and these hoops may be slightly horizontally curved. Pads 2-1 are arranged between the lower portions of the hoops 20 andthe inner side 17 of' `the pocket to protect the wearer. The hoops 20 bear against the top and bottom of the pocket, and are thereby held permanently under compression and are elliptical within thei pocket 15. A horizontal row of snap lfasteners 22 are arranged within the hoops 20' adjacent totheir tops; a. horizontal row of snap fasteners 23 and 24 are also arranged within the hoops near their horizontal centers. The snap fastenersA 24 are arranged withinl the spaces between the overlapping portions of theA heaps. A horizontal row of snap fasteners 25 are arranged within the hoops adjacent to their bottoms. Each snap fastener embodies detachable members and these members are sewed to the opposite sides of the pocket `lin use, the hoops 20 are under tension and normally hold the top of the panel 13 elevated, and return such top to the raised position, when depressed and released. The arrangement of hoops in the elongated horizontal group providesa plurality of points of upward pressure for the top of the pocket 15. Thev sides of the hoops are free kto shift horizontally laterally or outwardly which permits of the tops of the hoops moving downwardly. By separat-ing the snap fasteners, the hoops may be removed.

lt is to be understood that the form of my invention herewithl shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of thev same and that Various changes inv-the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without depart-ing from the spirit of my inventlion or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A girdle comprising a `body portion to encircle the body of the wearer andf including a top, means secured toI said top for opposing the downward movement of said top, said means including a horizontally elongated group of resilient stiifening elements, each `stiffening element including aclosed top` and spaced sides, the sides of ea'enstiffening elementv being capable of being shifted laterally in a direction circumferentially of the girdle when the closed top' is depressed.

2. A girdle comprising, a body portion to encircle the body of the wearer and being flexible and including a top, means for opposing the downward movement of said top, said means including a generally horizontal group of resilient stiffening elements, said group extending throughout a substantial portion of the horizontal dimension of said top, each stiffening element 'including an upper inverted generally U-shaped portion including a closed top and spaced sides, the sides of each stiffening element being shiftable laterally in a direction circumferentially of the body portion of the girdle which will permit said closed top to be depressed and further flattened.

3. A girdle comprising, a body portion to encircle the body of the wearer, said body portion being flexible and including a top, said top including a horizontally elastic portion, means for opposing the downward movement of said top and secured to the horizontally elastic portion, said means including a generally horizontal group of resilient stiffening frames, each frame including a closed top and spaced sides, the sides of each frame being shiftable laterally in a direction circumferentially of the body portion when the top of the frame is depressed.

4. A girdle comprising, a body portion to encircle the body of the wearer and being flexible and including a top, means secured to said top for opposing the downward movement of said top, said means including a generally horizontal elongated group of resilient stiftening elements, each stiffening element including a closed top and spaced sides, a portion of the side of one frame contacting with a portion of the side of the adjacent stilening element, the sides of each stiffening element being shiftable laterally in a direction circumferentially of the body portion of the girdle so that the top of each stilening element may be lowered.

5. A girdle comprising, a body encircling portion including an upper end which is depressed by the movement of the body, means for opposing the downward movement of said upper end and returning the same to the raised position, said means including a horizontally elongated group of resilient stilening elements, each stiffening element including a closed top and spaced sides, and means to secure the stilening elements to the body portion so that the sides of all of the stiffening elements may move laterally circumferentially with relation to the body portion.

6. A girdle comprising a body portion to encircle the body of the wearer, said body portion including a portion which is horizontally elastic and has a top, a horizontally elongated group of resilient stiiening elements arranged upon the horizontally elastic portion, each stitening element including a closed top and spaced sides, means to secure each stiiening element to the horizontally elastic portion so that the closed top of the stiftening element bears against the top of the horizontally elastic portion and the sides of each stiffening element are movable circumferentially of the body portion of the girdle when the horizontally elastic portion is horizontally stretched.

7. A girdle comprising a body portion to encircle the body of the wearer, means secured to the body portion adjacent to the top of the body portion and forming horizontally elongated pocket means, a horizontally elongated group of resilient stiiening elements arranged within the pocket means, each resilient stiffening element including a closed top and spaced sides, said spaced sides being slidably mounted within the pocket means so that said spaced sides may shift laterally with relation to the pocket means, said stilening elements opposing the downward movement of the top of the girdle.

8. A girdle comprising a body portion to encircle the body of the wearer, means secured to the body portion adjacent to the top of the body portion and forming horizontally elongated pocket means, a horizontally elongated group of resilient stitening elements arranged within the pocket means, each resilient stiiening element including an upper inverted generally U-shaped portion including a closed top and spaced sides, said spaced sides being slidably mounted within the pocket means so that said spaced sides may shift laterally with relation to the pocket means, the side of one stiiening element being connected with the side of the adjacent stiffening element, said stiffening elements opposing the downward movement of the top of the girdle.

9. A girdle comprising a body portion to encircle the body of the wearer, said girdle having a circumferentially extending horizontally elongated and horizontally elastic top portion, a horizontally elongated group of resilient stiiening elements arranged adjacent to said top portion, each resilient stiiening element including an upper inverted generally U-shaped portion including a closed top and spaced sides, the side of one stiffening element being connected with the side of the adjacent stiffening element, means for securing the stifening elements to said elastic top portion so that the sides of each stitfening element are shiftable laterally when the closed top is depressed, said stitening elements opposing the downward movement of said portion.

l0. A girdle comprising a body portionto encircle the body of the wearer, said girdle having a circumferentially extending top portion having a much greater horizontal dimension than vertical dimension, a plurality of resilient frames arranged adjacent said top portion, said frames forming a group having a much greater horizontal dimension than vertical dimension, each resilient frame including an upper inverted generally U-shaped portion including a closed top and spaced sides, the sides of one resilient frame being connected with the sides of the adjacent resilient frames, said group being longitudinally extensible, means for securing the resilient frames to said top portion, said resilient frames opposing the downward movement of said top portion.

1l. A girdle or like garment comprising a body portion having an upper end which is depressed by the movement of the body portion, means for opposing the downward movement of said upper end and returning the same to the raised position, said means including an elongated group of resilient hoops, each hoop including a top and sides, and means to secure the hoops to the body portion so that the sides of all the hoops may be moved laterally with relation to the body portion when the hoops are vertically compressed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 180,173 Thomas July 25, 1876 2,511,641 Kuhn June 13, 1950 2,585,262 Metz Feb. 12, 1952 2,630,570 Herbener Mar. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 369,204 Great Britain Mar. 11, 1932 

